


Arc Dust

by YellingToast



Category: RWBY
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2019-11-21 16:55:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18144893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YellingToast/pseuds/YellingToast
Summary: Jaune Arc wanted to help people. Sure being a Police officer or paramedic allowed him to help people individually, but they were only short-term solutions. Being a Hunter? On the right track, but still too small-scale. Creating the largest Dust company Remnant had ever seen to fund the next technological revolution that would save Humanity? Well, what could go wrong?





	1. Beginning

Jaune gazed at the shop in front of him, questioning the life choices that led him here.

_Vale's Grand Dust Emporium- "If there's Dust in the name, we've got game."_

It was no doubt, the stupidest catchphrase he had ever seen, probably made by a lunatic. Or someone super desperate. Or a combination of the two. Jaune sighed before resigning himself to his fate. Not like he had anything else to do anyway.

Jaune opened the door with his left hand and was immediately assaulted by a shockwave, that _might_ have resembled a voice if it were several decibels lower.

“WELCOME TO VALE’S GRAND DUST EMPORIUM- ‘IF THERE’S DUST IN THE NAME, WE’VE GOT NAME!”

Jaune blinked and shook his head- trying to dislodge the ringing from his ears.

_I'm already crippled enough; I don't need to add going deaf to my resume._

“Uh, isn’t it ‘We’ve got game’ not, ‘name’?”

The man, who towered over Jaune- a feat not many could claim- blinked and suddenly slammed his head down onto the counter.

“CURSES! I KNEW I WAS FORGETTING SOMETHING! OH, THE OLD MAN IS GONNA SKIN ME A NEW ONE!”

_Gods, does this person know how to speak normally?_

“Uh...I’m sorry?

“PLEASE, DON’T WORRY ABOUT MY IMPENDING DEMISE! WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU TODAY, FINE SIR?!”

_Oh, he doesn't know. Well, better order some hearing aids when I get back._

“Please, the name is Jaune- none of that sir business. I’m here to buy a BW-220 Drill and a variety of standard safety equipment.”

“HA, ALRIGHT THEN JAUNE! GIVE ME A MOMENT TO SORT OUT THE PAPERWORK AND GET THE EQUIPMENT! DO YOU HAVE YOUR DUST PROFICIENCY LICENCE?”

_I wonder if being shouted to deaf is covered in my insurance plan?_

“Of course. Here, take a look.”

Jaune handed over a plastic card that contained his proof of certification along with several other general identification details to the giant of a man.

"HA, THANK YOU, JAUNE! I'll GO CHECK YOUR CREDENTIALS AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER! PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AROUND THE SHOP AND IF ANYTHING CATCHES YOUR ATTENTION, JUST HOLLER!

_Drat, it’s not. I’ll have to switch providers before deafness sets in._

“Thank you, sir. I’ll be sure to let you know if anything catches my eye.”

“HAHA, VERY GOOD! I’LL BE JUST A MOMENT WITH YOUR ORDER!”

_Oh, thank the Gods above! He’s finally leav-_

"HEY, ED! WHAT IN DUST'S NAME ARE YOU SHOUTING FOR YOU BUFFON? WHY AREN'T YOU GETTING ME MY MEDICINE?"

_...Did I do something to the Gods in a previous life? If so, Gods, know that I repent any and all sins I have committed and will join a monastery in your divine name if you make the shouting stop._

Ed’s muffled yet still obnoxiously loud voice came from the back room.

"BE QUIET OLD MAN! I'M DEALING WITH A CUSTOMER! GIVE ME A MINUTE, AND I'LL GET YOUR PILLS!

Jaune shook his head in an attempt to snap his neck and when that failed, started looking around the small shop. He stopped by a small rack near the front counter which contained several books on Dust.

“ ‘Dust for Dummies and other Inadequate Individuals’...‘What to do during a Dust mine collapse’... ‘101 Things to Know about Dust’...Ah, here it is. “Theories on Dust and their Effects on the World. This... sounds like something I would find at Beacon, not a small-time Dust shop.”

Jaune grabbed his selection as he browsed the store once more. He noticed that the store seemed rather...overstocked. He sighed.

_That would explain his overenthusiasm._

He was roused from his thoughts when a loud slamming noise could be heard from the front of the store.

“ALRIGHT, HERE IT IS! THE BW-220, A COMPLETELY AUTOMATED LASER DUST DRILL AND ALL THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT YOU MIGHT NEED! ANYTHING CATCH YOUR EYE OUT THERE?”

Jaune moved within a respectable speaking distance before responding.

“I found this rather interesting book which I would like to purchase. Other than that, I believe that will be all for now.”

Jaune handed over what he owed to the larger man. He paused as he made to grab the drill.

“Mr. Ed, was it?”

Ed looked up from ledger he was currently writing in with a questioning gaze.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I take it you haven’t gotten much business recently, have you?”

The larger man sighed before putting down his pen.

“That obvious huh?”

Jaune looked at the man who had dropped his ever-present boisterous persona. He looked...defeated. Jaune felt something rise within him. Not anger, but something else.

“Well, I would get ready. You’ll be getting quite an increase in customers soon.”

“Oh, what makes you say that?”

Jaune held out his left hand, and a silver ring adorned with a black gem started to glow. A second later, the drill, all of the safety equipment and the book were gone. Ed jumped back in shock. Jaune merely smiled at the man.

“Oh, just a feeling that someone’s going to _really_ shake up the market soon.”

With that, Jaune walked out the door.

* * *

 

Jaune was in a good mood. He was currently walking through a forest deep in the wilds outside of Vale. It was around midday, and all that could be heard were the sounds of the forest- birds chirping, trees swaying in the wind, small forest creatures scurrying about the treetops...

And, the obnoxiously loud footfalls that had been following him for half an hour.

 _I can’t wait until they reveal themselves and I can lecture them on how to_ actually _sneak up on someone._

Still, Jaune wasn’t going to let that ruin his mood. Not one bit. So, Jaune stayed his course, only making a _small_ detour towards some...entertainment.

Jaune cleared the undergrowth and emerged within a clearing, startling its occupant in the process. He smirked as he looked at the Beowulf.

He gazed indifferently at the beast as he settled into his usual fighting stance. His right hand gripped his weapon tightly as he waited for it to make its move.

The Beowulf lunged at Jaune.

Jaune dodged to the left as he brought his right hand up to strike the beast and he…

Watched in amusement as his cane hit and he managed to knock it across the clearing. A low _Thud_ sounded out as the beast hit a tree. It didn’t get back up.

_Didn’t even need my brace for that one._

“That was awesome!” A high-pitched shout sounded out from the forest behind him.

_Ah, there’s my stalker. My-my I can’t believe I have a fan already. I haven’t even started anything interesting yet._

“So, my stalker finally decides to reveal themselves! Tell me, who taught you how to sneak? Because I’ll have them fired for incompetence.”

A loud “ _Eeep!_ ” sounded out as he turned around and the first thing he noticed was a head full of black hair. Well, it wasn’t completely black, it had red tips at the end that made it stand out in the well-lit forest. The second thing he noticed was the pure, silver eyes that stared back at them- a mixture of determination and fear flashing through them.

The girl, because of course it was, walked away from the tree she had been peaking around. She had her weapon at her side in an iron grip as her bright cloak flew in the breeze.

"So, what brings a fair maiden such as yourself to these dangerous Grimm-filled Wilds? Surely it can't just be for Lil'ol' me?" Jaune asked with mock innocence.

The cloaked girl snorted in amusement before staring down at her feet. She looked up briefly before back down again.

“I...I was out with my team scouting the area for Grimm. I-I was acting as the rear guard as we patrolled and I noticed you walking...alone. I-I got kinda curious and followed you…” The girl stammered out.

Jaune merely smiled. Not a malicious or scheming smile, mind. But, a very light-hearted and amused one.

"So, given that you're part of a team of I assume trainee Huntsman, you decided that the best course of action when seeing an unknown person on your mission was to go off alone? Did you even _inform_ your team what you are doing?” Jaune asked.

The cloaked girl opened her mouth to speak, and then promptly clicked it shut.

“From your silence, I take it you didn’t? That’s a shame, considering you’re patrolling in a _Grimm-infested forest_. If you suddenly disappear without warning, what do you think your team will believe happened to you?”

The girl’s eyes widened in horror as the realization of what he was implying dawned on her.

"Yeah, they aren't going to be happy when you meet back up with them. So, how about this? I help you find your teammates, and you'll help escort me back to Vale. Even though I can fend for myself, it's always way more fun with other people!"

And like that, a switch seemed to have been flipped. Gone was the meek girl that was embarrassed like she had her hand caught in a cookie jar, in her place stood a leader- one that took care in evaluating a potential addition to her party. The girl looked at him appraisingly. Her eyes roamed over him quickly but stopped at his cane. He noticed her gaze and shrugged.

"Old injury. Not much I can do for it, I'm afraid. I have a brace that lets me use my legs at full power via Aura consumption, but it's quite a strain. Besides, you've seen how strong I am." Jaune said.

“Against a single Beowulf.” The girl said, an accusation going unsaid.

Jaune merely smiled at her.

"Hey, I'm not forcing you to do this, but what's that old saying again? ‘The more, the merrier?' or something like that."

There was a tense stillness within the clearing. The two locked eyes as they tried to find a fault in either’s story. They remained for a moment before the girl sighed.

“I suppose escorting you out of these woods wouldn’t take too long…”

Jaune smiled as he gestured with his free hand.

“Lead the way, O’ Guardian Angel.”

* * *

 

Jaune followed behind his seemingly-mysterious-but-actually-awkward, cloaked stalker as they laid waste to another Beowulf pack. Honestly, the beasts were _everywhere_ in this part of the forest.

_Even with my brace, going against so many Grimm in a row…_

Jaune shuddered at the thought.

_No, not going there. Focus. This is the perfect opportunity to make some early connections._

Jaune steeled himself as he moved his cane back to its normal walking position. He looked at the girl as she folded her weapon away. They walked in silence for a moment before Jaune decided to break the ice.

“So...I take it you’re attending Beacon?”

The girl snorted.

“Nah, I’m just a civilian that _really_ likes running through Grimm-infested woods ."

Jaune pouted.

“Well, sorry if I’m just trying to break the ice here. You don’t have to go and attack me like that!” Jaune said with mock sadness.

This time, the girl outright laughed. Though, it was cut short when he responded.

“Although, now that I think about it, I am _technically_ a civilian since I never went to a Hunter school nor do I have a license. Hmm, I wonder if I should fix that?”

The girl just looked at him curiously.

“So, you never went to Hunter school, yet you fight Grimm easily with an injury many would consider retiring from. If you aren’t a Hunter, what are you?”

Jaune opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a loud shout.

“LEADER! WHERE ARE YOU?”

“Ah, I take it that’s your team?” Jaune said.

The girl merely rolled her eyes before responding.

“GUYS! OVER HERE!”

Jaune could hear the underbrush around them being trampled on and disturbed as angry shouts responded.

Soon, three figures entered their little section of the woods. A blond, a dark-haired woman, and a sword-user looked towards Jaune for a moment before redirecting their gazes at an incredibly sheepish-looking girl.

“What do you think you were doing? Running off by yourself like that!”

“We’re a team, Rose!”

“Look, don’t run off like that next time. We’re a team for a reason.”

Three separate voices all shouted at once, yet each one carrying the same message.

The girl had the decency to look ashamed as she tried to meet their gazes.

“Look, guys, I’m so sorry. I promise this won’t happen again. I just saw…”

She stopped and looked towards him, embarrassment coloring her face.

“I can’t believe I didn’t do this earlier, but, uh…” She trailed off before sighing.

“What’s your name?”

Jaune blinked and then laughed.

“My name is Jaune, Jaune Arc. And what is yours, fair maiden?”

She rolled her eyes at his antics before responding.

“My name is…

 

Summer, Summer Rose. And this here is my team- Team STRQ.”

* * *

 

Jaune walked through the cold, dreary cave. It was utterly silent, save for his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. He kept walking and noticed a faint light source directly ahead. He steadily approached the light before realizing it wasn't just a light. It was another cave.

He stepped into the cave and tried to calm his sudden vertigo. The tunnel he had been walking in opened up into a...well it was best described as a massive hole- headed straight down to the center of Remnant. The hole was more a chasm. It was around half the size of Beacon in diameter. The sides of the pit were covered in every Dust crystal imaginable. Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Purple, White, Orange, Cyan. A kaleidoscope of the most potent and expensive resource on the planet.

That wasn’t the goal though. They were _useful_ , sure. But, the goal?

Not by a longshot.

Jaune stood by the edge of the abyss…

...and jumped.

* * *

 

Thirty seconds…

One minute…

Five minutes…

Jaune put away his golden pocket watch as it reached five minutes after he jumped.

He loved the sensation that falling gave him. The adrenaline rush, the wind blowing at his face and through his hair- it was incredible.

Too bad most falls on Remnant were relatively short; or metaphorical.

Jaune snorted before activating his ring, producing a purple Dust crystal in the process. He looked at it for a moment.

Gravity Dust; known throughout Remnant as one of the most expensive and rare Dust types.

 _One of them_ being the key phrase. 

Jaune tossed the crystal up into the air as hard as he could before clicking the heels of his boots together. A low hum sounded out from his footwear as they glowed a familiar purple hue.

He felt his descent slow as his boots were pulled towards the crystal. It wouldn't be enough on its own. The mass of the crystal was too small to slow the man at his current airspeed completely.

That’s what the gravity Dust lining the cavern walls was for.

As Jaune reached the crystals, he activated the device attached to them. He watched as the gravity Dust began glowing and felt his momentum slow.  After a moment, he had completely stopped and hung suspended mid-air. Jaune clicked his heels together and the Dust de-activated.

Once he landed, he gazed at the treasure-trove that awaited him. There, at the bottom of the pit, was the largest single Dust crystal Jaune had ever seen.

It was golden. Not yellow, but _gold._ Like the rare metal that had been used as currency in the past. It was entrancing to look at. The crystal took up most of the space within the pit, except for the black crystals covering the ground and leading up the cavern walls.

Jaune sighed after a moment and took the drill out of his ring.

"Well, this Time Dust isn't gonna mine itself."

Thus, Jaune started on a journey that would see the rise of the most powerful company on Remnant-

Arc Dust.

 

 


	2. Rival

Jasmine looked out of her office's window and sighed.

_Another slow day._

She turned away from the window and walked back towards her desk. She sat down and glanced at the Holoscreen that was projecting their sales since last year. It wasn't pretty.

_Damn Dust shortages._

Jasmine shut down the screen with a sigh and looked towards the clock slowly ticking away on her plain wall.

_Well, its almost closing time. Better make sure everything's going smoothly._

As she moved towards the door, the intercom on her desk buzzed to life.

"Miss Dande? A customer wishes to speak to you about...some sort of business deal. He refuses to give the specifics unless it's you. My apologies Ma'am."

Jasmine felt her eye twitch in exasperation.

_Great. Another one of_ those  _people._

She had seen their type all too many times in her day. People would weave fantasy tales of suddenly finding a massive amount of Dust and wished to mine it- yet, they don't have the resources to do so. So, they would seek out "investors" to help them get started. In exchange, the "investors" were promised a ludicrous amount back- that is, if the mine ever took off.

Most of the time, they didn't.

"Give me a minute, Ras. I'll be there shortly."

"Yes, Ma'am."

It took a few minutes of briskly walking down random corridors before Jasmine ended up in the lobby. She knew it was petty revenge to make the "customer" wait, but she felt like being petty. It hadn't been a good week.

She found Ras, one of her best Sales Associates, talking to him. Jasmine took one look at the man and wasn't impressed.

Dressed in a long blue coat that covered a white undershirt and accentuated by a brown strap that crossed his chest diagonally- all in all, he looked like a Hunter, not a businessman. Jasmine took in the rest of his features and drew the same conclusion.

Scraggily blond hair, shaggy brown pants, and a pitch black cane. The cane was the most important detail there. With his outfit screaming 'Hunter!' and the cane highlighting the slight limp with his right leg, she came to this conclusion; the man was a retired Hunter down on his luck due to his leg injury and wished to make a quick buck through her.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes.

_Not if I have anything to say about that._

She approached the man with a professional smile on her face and stuck out her hand to greet him.

"Hello, my name is Jasmine Dande, the Regional Director to the Vale branch of Sanus Dust Exchange. How may I assist you, today?"

The man looked over from Ras and smiled brightly at her. The smiled dimmed slightly when he saw her hand extended. Jasmine feigned ignorance of the issue.

_How flustered will he be I wonder?_

The man merely tossed the cane he was holding in his right hand to his left and moved forward to accept the greeting.

"Hello Miss Dande, my name is Jaune Arc. I trust Miss Ras here has informed you I wish to strike a deal with your company?"

_Interesting. Ignoring my little stunt to project strength during "negotiations." Not bad for a conman.  
_

"Yes, I'm aware. Would you mind giving me a summary of the deal before we go further?"

The man, or "Jaune" as he called himself, pulled his hand back and moved the cane back to his right.

_Hmm, well it seems that his injury is real and not just something to gain sympathy points._

"As you wish. I have recently discovered a large number of unrefined Dust crystals and wish to use your company as my primary seller. Would you be willing?"

_And there it is. It still amazes me people fall for this crap. This will be just the tip of the iceberg. When we start the negotiations, he'll reveal he hasn't begun mining due to the expensive equipment and will need a "downpayment" to start.  
_

Jasmine forced her smile to go wider.

"Of course, sir. Please, follow me to my office, and we'll hash out the details there. Oh, and Ras, please help Lily with closing up. I'll be down shortly to finish things up."

Ras bowed her head slightly.

"Of course, Ma'am. How long until I should expect you?"

Jasmine's grin turned genuine, if malicious.

"Oh, a deal like this won't take longer than ten minutes."

* * *

Jasmine looked over at the man seated in front of her and was puzzled by what she saw.

The man claiming himself to be "Jaune" aired unmistakable confidence in everything he did. From small-talk to describing his story, the man seemed utterly confident in what he was saying was the truth.

If it weren't for the  _absolutely_ ridiculous story he had woven, she might have believed it.

_I mean, seriously? He just 'happened' to stumble into what might be the largest deposit of Dust the kingdom of Vale had ever seen- without either those council dogs or Schnee knowing about it? Ridiculous._

"That's...quite a tale Mr. Arc. If I may be so bold, how exactly do you plan to extract the Dust from the mine given your current resources? I hardly believe you'd do it all yourself."

_This is it. He can't keep up this charade any longer. Everyone knows that without the right equipment and planning, mining Dust would be tantamount to suicide. Even the scam artists know this._

"Actually, that's exactly what I plan on doing."

_Wait. What?  
_

"I...see. Mr. Arc, do you understand how dangerous it is to mine Dust without the proper equipment? Even the great Nicholas Schnee suffered due to the lack of equipment. Even if it was mostly ignorance that led to it."

"Oh, I am  _quite_  aware of the dangers of Dust, Miss Dande."

The man moved his leg ever so slightly she wouldn't have noticed if she wasn't paying close attention to everything he did.

His  _injured_ leg.

_Oh…_

"My apologies Mr. Arc, I had no idea-"

He put his hand up to interrupt the lengthy apology she had planned.

"It's quite alright, Miss Dande. You had no way of knowing and you were just looking out for my safety. I appreciate the gesture."

_Wow, he's good. It's been a long time since someone of this level tried to scam me. Is he ex-mafia? He's too good to be a street conman._

"Even so, it must be a sensitive topic. For that, I apologize."

"Please, don't mention it. Why don't we return to the topic at hand?"

_Please. We've got five minutes, and I doubt you'll be able to hold off your true intentions until the end.  
_

"Alright. So, you plan on mining the dust by yourself, at least for the foreseeable future. Given how expensive the equipment can be for individuals, do you have a plan to acquire the equipment?"

_Here it comes- the pitch. I'm betting he'll focus on potential profits since I've been acting 'The Profesional' this whole time, though he may sprinkle in some sympathy with his injury. Either way, there's nothing he can say to make me agree-_

"Actually, I already have all the equipment I'll need for the moment. I wanted to discuss how much Dust you were willing to buy and at what price. I appreciate your concerns, however."

Jasmine's mind screeched to a halt as his words registered in her head. Her usually articulate and scheming thoughts fell apart, and as she realized the gravity of the situation, she could say only one thing-

"Huh?"

* * *

Jaune looked towards Jasmine with amusement. The poor girl thought he was trying to scam her with some ridiculous scheme.

_However, now that I think about it, my story does seem far-fetched._

_Oh well._

She sat behind her desk, looking somewhat shocked and distressed.

_Better fix that._

"Miss Dande, I'm sure you understand what I'm asking, correct?"

The question seemed to snap her back to reality as she took a deep breath before responding.

"O-Of course, Mr. Arc. You wish to use our company as a buyer for your raw Dust extracted from your mine. If I may ask, how much Dust do you have within the mine?"

_Hmm, not bad. Even when she realizes she screwed up, she's still trying to fish for information to make the best deal._

Jaune smiled.

_I want her._

"Now, now, Miss Dande. I'm afraid I can't reveal the exact amount-"

_Because I haven't had to the time to catalog everything._

"-but, it's safe to say that it is more than you have the authorization to buy."

Jasmine visibly gulped at that.

Jaune fiddled with his cane for a moment before she responded.

"Mr. Arc, I don't understand something. A mine with that much Dust is worth a fortune through just the property rights. Why don't you just contact either the Council or the SDC? I'm sure either will give you a fair price and save you the hassle they will most certainly throw your way."

_Ah, why thank you, Jasmine. Just the question I was looking for._

"Before I answer that, may I call you Jasmine? Last names are too formal for when we will most likely be working together soon."

She nodded her head and leaned back in her chair.

"Good, now Jasmine, let me ask you a question. What are the first words that come to mind when you think of the SDC?"

Jasmine looked at him strangely before responding.

"Quality, Affordability, Trust."

Jaune nodded his head.

"Yes, Yes, those are all true. For how long, however?"

"What?"

Jaune sat up from his chair and moved towards the window near Jasmine.

"Times are changing, Jasmine. The Faunus won their rights, Dust prices are sky-high, and the SDC is about to receive a new CEO."

He paused for a second to glance at his pocket watch.

"That last one is the issue."

He turned to face Jasmine and looked straight into her eyes.

"Jacques Gelé will destroy the Schnee name to make himself as rich as possible."

Jasmine looked at him, disbelief coloring her features.

"Don't look at me like that. I have information from a close friend that says he's not who he tells the world. That he is actually a cold, manipulative, abusive bastard who just wants power- it's just a coincidence that the Schnee name symbolizes what he needs."

_Weiss..._

"I don't want to leave the world in his hands- that's why I refuse to sell. I will build my own company to rival his; something he will never see coming nor have any way to counter. I will make sure he doesn't get his way, no matter what."

Jaune turned to face the window that showed the skyline of Beacon Academy.

"I won't let any of them get their way. Not this time."

* * *

Jacques Gelé looked over his empire with disgust. Well, soon to be empire, anyway.

_Not too long, now. I have to wait for the old fool to cave in and sign the stupid papers. Why does he insist on waiting until after the wedding?  
_

A beeping noise sounded from the dresser behind him. He moved across the guest room and picked up his scroll. He nearly blanched at the message his fiance had left for him.

_Does she not understand what this marriage is?_

He responded with as much tact as he could be bothered to give and then silenced his scroll.

Jacques moved back towards the window overlooking the city of Atlas. It was rather beautiful to look at -in an abstract way of course- as well as a technological marvel. Multiple massive Dust crystals powered the city's Anti-Gravity engines that held the town afloat, while all of the electricity, heating, and plumbing were powered by Dust as well — all Schnee Dust Company products of course.

Something that would soon be his.

He had plans for this world, and no one was going to stop him- not when he held all the pieces. Not when he had sacrificed so much to get there. Especially now that he had the whole Schnee family in his grasp, the world was his oyster, and everyone else was trying to spoil it for him.

_Not on my watch. First, I'll deal with the internal threats- rival executives, hostile board members, Nicholas himself. It will take a while, but soon no one will complain as long as I keep the lien coming. Next, I'll stamp out those start-ups that took advantage of the vacuum my rise will certainly leave and then, start to rebuild this company to its former glory._

Jacques smiled as he gripped the photo within his suit jacket.

"I won't let anyone stop me. Not this time."


	3. Headmaster

Jaune glanced at his scroll and smiled with content.

_Man, I forgot how awesome it was to be rich._

He chuckled and moved up one place in line.

_This much money with just one month of mining...I can see why the Schnees are so obsessed with the stuff._

He looked up from his scroll to see another patron walk past him out the door.

_Though, I've still got a long way to go until I can compete with their wealth._

His cane clicked conspicuously on the white tile as he moved up one place.

_My current wealth is pocket change compared to their coffers, even with their recent decline._

Jaune rolled his sore wrists as he moved up one.

_They have quite the stockpile after a twenty-year head start._

Jaune sighed with relief as he made it to the front of the line.

"Welcome to Dustbucks, what can I get for you today?"

_But, what's all the wealth in the world when compared to a good cup of coffee?_

* * *

Jaune, large coffee in one hand and cane in the other, strode out of the local coffee chain with a spring in his step, or as much as his leg allowed.

He moved down the streets of Vale, marveling in how much could change within a decade or two.

_No holographic light posts- seems the council wants to wait and see how this 'new-age' technology holds up under more scrutiny before renovating the city._

Jaune stopped at a crosswalk while gazing at a re-election poster for the Council.

_Or the council is just being lazy and bureaucratic as usual. Now, that I think about it, that's probably what's happening._

Jaune sighed in annoyance. From his experience, a majority of the Council's thought process when it came to, well,  _anything_  really was whether or not it would help their re-election or boost their ratings.

_The thought of trying to convince those idiots up in Atlas the importance of my work to the stability of the Kingdom will never cease to anger me._

Jaune tried to banish those thoughts from his mind as he rounded the corner to his destination.

A large modern-styled building separated from its peers stood in front of him. It was nothing special- in regards to the architecture at least. No, what made it stand out was the sign hanging in front of the doorway that led to the office.

"Arc Dust- Offices and Logistics"

_Well, at least I still have some time to figure out a slogan that's not going to cause me a headache every time I read it. Thank you Grand Dust Emporium for that particular lesson. Hmm, I should speak to Jasmine and see if we can do anything about their situation.  
_

_Speaking of…_

Jaune pulled out his scroll as he walked into the deserted lobby. He flipped through his sparse contacts list- something that reminded him of when he was just a gangly teenager with the dream of being a Hunter.

_How time flies._

He pulled up one particular contact as he walked into his first-floor office- he didn't have enough capital to buy the entire building- and hit the 'Audio Only' call option.

_Hopefully, she isn't too busy right now. I'd hate to call her while she's in the middle of an important-_

The call connected and a familiar voice rang out.

" _Mr. Arc?"_

"Ah, thank you for answering Jasmine. I know you're busy at the exchange; I just wanted to go over a few things."

" _Ha. Ha. Sarcasm is unbecoming of you, sir. So is poaching, if I may add."_

Jaune smirked at her jab.

"Now, now Jasmine. I told you before to consider this a...side job to supplement your income."

" _Sure it is,"_ Jasmine drawled out. _"A side job with a huge conflict of interest."_

"Pssh, I don't think anyone really cares if there is a conflict of interest as long as the Kingdoms get their Dust."

" _Point."_

They shared a chuckle for a moment before Jaune spoke again.

"Well, that's enough laughs for now. Let's get down to business."

That caused Jasmine to sober up immediately.

" _Of course, sir."_

Jaune hummed into the speaker as he tapped a button on his desk that pulled up his holoscreen. He pressed a few keys, and several documents sprang up on the holographic display.

"First, how's our hiring process going? I have the documents for a few of the candidates, but it's not nearly enough for what we need."

Jasmine sighed over the scroll.

" _My apologies, sir. The hiring process is...rather tedious right now. No one wants to work for a Dust company in the current economy- especially a relatively unknown one such as ourselves. No offense, sir."_

"None taken, Jasmine. I understand it's rather difficult for now, but I promise once we start shipping out, people will be lining up out the door."

" _If you say so, sir."_

Jaune hummed as he looked at a few documents closely.

_Nothing that stands out so far. Mostly seems to be people new to the labor force or people desperate for any kind of work.  
_

_Wait...people…_

Jaune pulled up all of the documents and what he saw confirmed his suspicions.

"Jasmine, have you not included any Faunus candidates for these positions? Or  _any_ positions for that matter?"

Jaune could only hear the static from the scroll for a moment before Jasmine spoke up.

" _My apologies, sir. I thought that-"_

"-I didn't want any Faunus since the revolution just ended and they might not take too kindly to working under someone such as myself?"

" _Yes, sir."_

Jaune sighed and closed all the documents on his screen.

"Jasmine, we can't be biased like that if we're planning on making this company any better than the SDC. We  _need_ to have Faunus workers at  _all_ levels of the company- we need to show everyone that we don't care as long as the job gets done. I know you know this, so what's the issue?"

_"I...I'm sorry, sir. I let my prejudices get in the way of your business. If you feel the need to let me-"  
_

"Stop that right now. You made a mistake, one mistake- which you apologized for it. This isn't like you, Jasmine. So tell me, what's the issue?" Jaune said.

The static was back in full force as the clock-hand on the wall continued ticking on.

" _My father...he fought in the Revolution...and didn't come home. I'm sorry, Mr. Arc for letting my personal-"_

"I told you to stop with that nonsense. Now, let me apologize for bringing up bad memories. I know it doesn't mean much, but… I'm sorry. Let's drop this conversation for now and talk about the plans for the defense."

Jaune opened a batch of new documents as he pretended to not hear the sniff on the other end of the line.

" _Thank you, sir."_

"Anytime, Jasmine. Now, any change with the Atlas military?"

_"No, sir. Captain Ironwood is trying to push our request through to the General, but our chances aren't looking too good."  
_

"Hmm, that's fine- Atlas was a stretch anyway. Tell the good Captain to take his time and not to rush. Now, how about homegrown solutions?"

" _Give me a moment, sir. I'm sending some files that might interest you."_

Jaune hit a key and pulled up a second screen where he started sorting through some of their finances. A 'Ding' noise sounded from the holoscreen, and he grinned once he opened them.

"Oh, I  _like_ this. Jasmine, are you trying to butter up your boss for a nice promotion?"

Jaune could practically  _see_ her smirk from the other end of the scroll.

" _No idea what you mean by that, sir. This is just a side job for me, remember?"_

Jaune snorted and saved the documents. He'd have to go through them later more thoroughly, but if they were saying what he thought they were…

_Oh, he's gonna be_ so  _pissed._

_I can't wait._

"Alright, moving on, how's progress with setting up distribution rights with the local dust sellers and permission from the council?"

Jasmine was silent for a moment before she responded.

_"The local sellers are generally cooperative, but a few of the major ones want to see some proof before they commit to any deals."  
_

Jaune hummed.

"That's not too bad. We can start with the smaller ones and once they see how we do business, then-"

" _I'm sorry, Jaune. I'm not sure we'll be able to do that."_

Jaune paused his typing for a moment and devoted his full attention to the scroll in his left hand.

"What?"

Jasmine sighed from the other end.

" _The Council is being...difficult, sir."_

"How difficult?"

Jasmine paused.

_Oh, Dust._

" _They're refusing to even meet with me, sir."_

"Did they give a reason?"

Jasmine paused again.

_"They said, and I quote, 'Due to the recent damage Vale has sustained during the Faunus Rights Revolution, the Council has decided to devote its full attention to rebuilding both the city itself and the hearts and minds of the populace. Therefore, the Council will be suspending all meetings with private citizens or entities not actively contributing to the repair of the City effective immediately.'"_

Jaune stood up.

* * *

Jasmine set down her scroll as a  _roar_ of anger came through the other end, thankfully not directed at her. She blushed a little at some of the language he was using.

_If I didn't know any better, I would think he was a Specialist with a mouth like that._

* * *

Jaune sat back down in his chair.

"You still with me Jasmine?"

" _Yes, sir."_

"Good. Any ideas?"

Jasmine paused, yet again.

_I'm not going to like this, aren't I?  
_

" _How good are you at bullshitting, sir?"_

Jaune blinked.

"Um, I got you on my side, didn't I?"

Jasmine didn't respond for a moment.

" _I'm not going to comment on that. Regardless, I hear Beacon is beautiful this time of year."_

Jaune blinked and stood up.

* * *

Jasmine ignored the frustrated screams about 'Shitty wizards,' 'training hell' and 'farm boys.'

She blinked at that last comment.

_I'm going to have to talk to him about that last one, that kind of scandal will ruin us.  
_

* * *

Jaune sat back down.

"Jasmine?"

" _Yes, sir?"_

"Schedule an appointment with him as soon as possible, please. In the meantime, I'm going to vent my frustration on some Grimm. Oh, and find a therapist would you? I'll need one after this meeting."

" _Yes, sir."_

Jaune sighed as he hung up the connection.

_I really didn't want to talk to him at such an early stage._

He leaned back into his chair as he looked at the ceiling fan spinning slowly above him.

_Well, it's not all that bad, I guess. I'll have a foot in the door for Hunter-level fighters in case Jasmine's plan doesn't pan out. Plus, having the ear of the most powerful man in the world isn't too shabby._

Jaune looked to his left at the rose wilting underneath the sunlight.

_I wonder how she's doing now?_

* * *

Summer yawned as she rose to a sitting position on her bunk bed. She blinked as she eyed her teammates sleeping forms and let a mischievous smirk appear.

She jumped onto the floor as quietly as she could before tip-toeing over to her dresser and pulled out a particular object that would cause her team much ire.

She moved towards the center of the room before sucking in a deep breath and blowing into the silver object within her hands.

A loud whine emitted from the whistle as her team sprang into action. Raven grabbed a katana hidden under her pillow, Qrow jumped up and promptly banged his head against the bottom of the bunk he was resting in, and Tai rolled off the bottom bed and hit the ground ready to start punching.

"GOOD MORNING TEAM STRQ!"

There was silence for a moment before the room  _erupted_ in noise.

"Summer what the hell is wrong with you!?"

"Rose, give me a reason to not stick this sword straight up your-"

"Owww, I can't tell if this headache is from the bunk, my hangover, or that gods-damned whistle!"

The rest of the team turned to stare at Qrow, who was trying to nurse the bump on his head rather unsuccessfully.

"Probably all three, idiot," STR deadpanned.

Qrow winced and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh well. By the by, anyone else not remember the last 12 hours or is it just me?"

They chose to promptly ignore him before Raven and Tai turned to their leader, devilish smirks on their faces.

"Oh, but that reminds me. Raven dearest, mind grabbing the feather while I hold down our  _dear_ leader. It looks like she needs a reminder on how waking the rest of us up on a weekend  _before the crack of dawn is a bad idea,_ " Taiyang said with a slight edge to his voice.

Summer paled as they mentioned the feather.

_I have severely miscalculated._

"Oh, as much as I would  _love_ to use the feather, I have a better idea Tai," Raven's smirk didn't give Summer a good feeling. "Didn't Professor Port say he caught some more of his  _pets,_ yesterday?"

Summer's complexion turned to match her cloak.

_Gods-Dammit_

* * *

Summer sprinted down the corridors of Beacon, her teammates by her side as they tried to stay ahead of the absolute  _monster_ chasing after them.

"W-Why the  _HELL_ does Port have that  _thing_ in one of the cages?!" Raven roared in fury as she tried to keep pace with the rest of the team, throwing fire Dust down the corridor to try and keep the creature off their heels.

"I don't know! Usually, he keeps a boartusk or two,  _not a fucking Beringel!_  Taiyang yelled to her right as he cocked his gauntlets and fired an explosive shell straight at the gorilla.

"AHHGGGG! How does something like this even happen?! What are the chances of us finding the  _one_  cage with a stupidly overpowered Grimm? Gods, it's almost as if we ran out...of...luck..." Summer said as she slowly turned to face Qrow, who was busy shooting down the corridor.

The rest of the team stopped for a moment to stare at Qrow, who started whistling innocently.

"Bird-Brain."

"Shitty-Swordsman."

"Dusty Crow."

"Will you three keep running damn it!" Qrow shouted as the roar of the creature chasing them echoed down the hallway.

Summer laughed and started running again, only to head a loud crash come from behind them. She turned and attempted to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. She didn't succeed.

Stood in the middle of the hallway was their newly appointed headmaster, cane in one hand and a coffee mug in the other- which he daintily took a sip of as the black smoke that signaled dead Grimm vanished around him.

_All by himself…_

"So strong," Raven whispered in both awe and fear.

The man turned to face them, an amused expression on his face as he approached.

_This...This is a_ true  _Huntsman._

"As much as I love to see my students practicing their stamina, pray tell why you thought it would be a good idea to do so  _in_ the school itself?" The headmaster said.

There was a pause before Summer spoke.

"It wasn't on purpose, sir."

The man raised an eyebrow.

"Err, not  _entirely_ on purpose, sir. We wanted to get some practice in fighting Grimm and found out about Professor Port's captures. We thought there would be only a single boartusk and not...whatever that was.

The headmaster's eyebrow remained raised as he took a sip from his mug.

"So, prank, dare, or revenge?"

"Oh, revenge since I woke up every-"

Summer choked on her words as she realized what she just said. The chorus of groans behind her didn't help matters.

The headmaster's expression remained amused as he took another sip of his coffee.

"Hmm, not bad. Personally, I would have gone with laxatives in the food, or perhaps a red sock in the laundry if I was feeling vindicated enough." He said.

Summer felt her brain short circuit as she tries to process what her idealized Hunter said, but all that came out was-

"Huh?"

"Nice one, Headmaster. I think you just broke her." Qrow drawled out.

"Yeah, she has a hero-complex of sorts- whenever she sees strong Hunters, she gets all, well, loopy," Taiyang said.

"She's just an idiot," Raven deadpanned.

They all laughed, and even the headmaster chuckled as Summer restarted her brain. Their laughter was stopped, however, by what the headmaster said next.

"Ha, how amusing. Now that you've had your fun, why don't you go ahead and see yourselves to my office so we can discuss your punishment."

They all froze momentarily before sighing in unison,

"Yes, Headmaster Ozpin."


End file.
